Sectional forming-block.



L. STEVENS. SEGTIONAL roam APPLICATION FILED J 1 ,057, 1 85.

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I IzzJemZr Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

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ldi lzesses fly ,wyn W- LESLIE STEVENS, 0F GLEN RIDGE, NEW JERSEY.

SECTIONAL FORMING-BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 13, 1911.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913. Serial No. 638,284.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LESLIE STEvENs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glen, Ridge, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sectional'Forming- Blocks, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same. v

This invention relates to sectional shaping blocks or forms, that is blocks or forms made up of a plurality of parts or sections which are detachably secured together so that they may be removed separately one after another from the interior of the article which has been shaped or formed on the block.

The invention relates more particularly to hat blocks for shaping the crowns of hats.

The means provided for holding the parts or sections of a sectional block together, and especially of a sectional hat block, must be of such a character as to hold the sections securely and rigidly while the block is in use, and yet permit of the ready separation and independent removal of the sections of the block when desired. Dovetail ribs and grooves on the abutting faces of the block sections are quite generally employed for this purpose and provide a simple means for holding the sections securely and rigidly together. The ribs and grooves must, however, be very accurately fitted, and when made of wood, which is the material commonly employed, they are liable to swell and stick. Difficulty is experienced therefore, either from the joints being too loose to hold the sections securely and in accurate register with each other, or too tight so that it is difiicult or impossible to properly assemble the sections or to readily separate them.

The present invention aims to provide an improved sectional block and especially a sectional hat block such that the parts or sections may be readily assembled in exact register with each other, and when assembled will be held rigidly and securely'together, and that the parts may be easily and quickly released and separated from each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a block having dovetail ribs and grooves on the abutting faces of the sections and having the advantages of a block depending on such means for holding the sections together, while avoiding the difliculties and disadvantages met with where such means alone are relied upon for this purpose.

A full understanding of the invention can best be given by a detailed description of a block embodying the various features thereof, and such a description will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings showing a three piece hat block made to embody the various features of the invention in the preferred form. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to a three-piece block but may be applied to sectional blocks having a greater or less number of sections and'in some of its features as hereinafter described to a one-piece block.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view looking toward the lower or base face of the block, Fig. 2 is a similar view but with the metal base plate removed, Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken respectively on lines 3 and at of Fig. 1, and showing the block in position with its tip down and its base uppermost. I

Referring to the drawings, the block shown is athree-piece block made up of three parts or sections 10, 11 and 12 meeting in inclined planes. in the usual manner, section 10 being the section first to be placed in assembling and last to be taken out in removing the block from the article which has been shaped, and section 12 being the last placed in assembling and the first to.

be removed in separating the sections. The block may be of any exterior shape desired, that shown. in the drawings being shaped to embody features of my invention described and claimed in my application filed July 13, 1911, Serial No. 638,283. The meeting faces of the block sections are provided with suit able holding or positioning devices for preventing relative sidewise displacement of the sections, and these devices are preferably interlocking devices adapted to prevent relative separating movement of the block sections in any direction other than the direction in which they are intended to be moved when it is desired to separate them. The usual dovetailed ribs. and grooves as shown are best. provided for this purpose. The section 11 as shown is provided with a dovetailed rib 15 to enter a corresponding groove ill-the section 1.0, and

thick. This plate extends beyond the sec-.

tion 12 so as to project over the sections 10 and 11, and is preferably of the full size of the base of the block as shown so as to completely cover the lower or base face of all three block sections. When the sections are assembled, plate 16 and section 10 are secured together by a releasable fastening device which may be of any suitable construction, but is conveniently formed by a thumb screw 20 set in a recess 21 in the face of the block section 10 and a socket piece 22 secured to the inner side of the plate 16 in position to register with an opening 23 in the plate and with the recess 21 in the block section 10 when the sections are assembled. The bottom of the socket piece is formed with a central opening and slot to receive the head of the thumb screw 20, so that when the sections have been assembled the head of the thumb screw will project through and be above the bottom of the socket piece but will not project above the face of the plate. Turning the thumb screw will then securely lock the plate 16 to the block section 10.

It will be noticed that the plate is carried by the last placed block section and is secured by the thumb screw 20 to the first placed block section, and that by this means these two sections as well as any intermediate sections such as the section 11 will be securely locked together. When so held together, it is impossible to separate the block sections without turning the screw to release the plate 16 from the section 10. It is apparent also that the plate 16, carried by the last placed block section and secured by the releasable fastening device to the first placed section, not only holds the sections against being separated but also acts to support and hold the block sections in position and in accurate register with each other, even though the dovetailed joints between the sections should be slightly loose- The provision of the plate and fastening device thus insures the proper relative position of the block sections and relieves to a large extent the strain on the dovetail ribs and grooves, and makes the use of tight fitting ribs and grooves unnecessary, thus avoiding trouble in separating the block sections due to the sticking of the dovetail joints.

In addition to its function of securing and supporting the block sections, the base plate 16 is of advantage in providing a wear-resisting metal edge for the base edge of the block and for the edges of the usual arbor post holes 25 with which the block is provided in its base face and also of the finger holes 26. This feature of the invention of providing the face of a wooden or other block with a metal plate is, therefore, not to be limited to sectional blocks or blocks embodying other features of the invention, but is of advantage and may be applied to solid or one-piece blocks as well. The idea of providing a hat block with a metal wear-resisting edge is contained in my application No. 638,283, above referred to, but the provision of such metal edge by means of a face plate as herein described forms part of the present invention.

WVhat is claimed is 1. A sectional form having a plate secured to its last placed section and extending over its first placed section, and fastening means for detachably securing said plate to the first placed section.

2. A sectional hat block having a metal base plate secured to its last placed section and projecting therefrom to cover the entire base of the block and provide a wear resisting edge, and fastening means for detachably securing said plate to the first placed section.

3. A sectional hat block formed of more than two sections, and having a base plate projecting from a last placed section to extend over a first placed section and one or more intermediate sections, and fastening means for detachably securing the plate to a first placed section.

4:. A sectional hat block having a metal base plate secured toits last placed section and extending over the first placed section, and fastening means for detachably securing the plate to the first placed section consisting of a thumb screw set in a recess in the base face of the first placed section and a slotted socket piece on the inner side of the base plate to cotiperate with said screw.

5. A sectional hat block having meeting faces of its sections provided with interlocking ribs and grooves, and having its last placed section provided with a base plate projecting therefrom to extend over the other section or sections, and havingfastening means for securing said plate to the first placed section.

6. A sectional hat block having a base plate secured to its last placed section of a harder material than the main portion of the block and of the full size of the base of the block, said plate serving to support and steady the several block sections and to provide a wear resisting edge for the base of the block.

7. A hat block having an arbor post hole in its base face, and having a metal base plate covering the entire base of the block and provided with a perforation registering With said arbor hole, said plate providing a metal edge for the base of the block and a metal edge for the arbor post hole.

8. A sectional hat block formed of more than two sections provided with means for or sections, and having fastening means for securing said plate to the first placed section.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing 15 preventing relative sidewise displacement Witnesses.

of the block sections, and having its last LESLIE STEVENS. placed section provided with a base plate Witnesses:

projecting therefrom to extend over the first JEANNETTE S'roRK,

placed section and the intermediate section A. L. KENT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

